Passenger ridership increased by 3.9% to 1.29 million a day in the first half of 2019, with passenger-km up by 6.2% to 9.62 billion in this period. Passenger profits increased 8% to SFr 124m from SFr 115m a year ago with regional traffic up by a massive 36.5% to SFr 26m from SFr 9m in the first half of 2018. This was mainly due to the number of extra trains for national events such as the Fete de Vignerons and alpine festivals.
Long-distance passenger traffic dropped by 5% from SFr 86m to SFr 81m, partly due to delays with delivery of double-deck trains from Bombardier and also a shortfall in personnel. Punctuality remained stable at 90.7% after SBB launched a programme at the beginning of the year to improve this figure.
In contrast, the freight sector showed a drop of 2.5% from 8.67 to 8.45 billion net tonne-km, with SBB Cargo down by 8.6% to 8.09 billion compared with 8.67 billion in the first half of 2018, and SBB Cargo International about the same at 5.9 billion. Financially the situation is challenging: SBB Cargo’s result came to SFr 0.25m compared with SFr 2.16m a year ago despite a SFr 9m cut in state subsidies, but it lost business because of lower demand from customers than expected. SBB Cargo International’s result was down to SFr 1.02m from SFr 2.16m.
SBB Infrastructure recorded a huge drop of 85% in its result from SFr 63.8m to SFr 9.6m, mainly due to lower state subsidies.
Meyer to step down as SBB’s CEO in 2020
Mr Andreas Meyer, CEO of SBB, has announced his decision to step down next year after 13 years at the head of the company.
He made the decision in the spring, and the management board has already started to search for a successor. Meyer will continue as CEO until the end of 2020 at the latest, or earlier if a suitable candidate is found.
